


A Study in Fortitude

by TheBorgiasDevil



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Non Consensual, POV Alternating, Platonic Disaac, Rape, Scisaac is endgame, Slow Build, Sub Isaac, Teen Wolf, Top Scott, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-29
Updated: 2014-04-04
Packaged: 2017-12-16 12:28:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/862041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBorgiasDevil/pseuds/TheBorgiasDevil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Deucalion's desire for a pack completed by Scott McCall and Derek Hale is confirmed when he makes a bold move by capturing Isaac. In the aftermath, Isaac struggles to accept his change in loyalties and what it means for him and Scott. The two teens try desperately to protect, not only each other, but everyone around them from the threat of the Alpha Pack. </p><p>Starts after Episode 4 of Season 3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. There's a Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning.   
> Thank you to Rose, who beta'd this for me.

When the night was quiet he remembered. A calloused thumb against his collar bone, stroking under icy water when no one was looking. A pair of warm arms holding a blanket tight around him as he shivered out the last of his cold. A voice, deep and commanding, calling him back.

Isaac didn’t trust men. Society burned him, his father abused him. The list of people he felt comfortable around seemed to be shrinking day by day.

Erica was dead.

Even as Stiles said the words back to him, the very same words Isaac had spoken, he still couldn’t believe. After everything they’d been through: their first full moon, their first fight to defend Derek, their first chance to be a part of a real family. Now she was gone.

And Derek...

Isaac rolled onto his side to look out Scott’s window at the waning moon. As each moment passed it sunk in deeper that Derek no longer wanted him.

Derek didn’t need him anymore.

His father was right all along. He really was just weak and useless. Weak and useless and stupid. Of course he had done something wrong. He’d been born.

There was a time when Derek made him believe he actually was someone. He’d been able to overcome his first full moon with enough self-control to help Derek, and a part of him wanted to lay down and scream that there was something he could do right. If he was shit at everything, at least he’d be a good werewolf. There would be a pack, and he’d be one of the betas his alpha could trust. Nothing could make him turn against Derek, no matter how rough or pushy he got, and Isaac decided that he was going to make this work.

So he tried, with everything he had, to do this one thing right. He did what Derek wanted, even when what the alpha wanted was dangerous and scared him. Even with Peter Hale’s fingers buried into his brain stem he did as Derek commanded, though every piece of him wanted to reach back and pull the beast’s arm off.

Now he was alone again, and he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to go back to Derek after this, if he could look him in the eye after getting hit where Derek knew it would hurt the most.

“Isaac, you okay?” Scott asked, sitting up so his head obscured the moonlight that lit the room.

“Yeah, why?” Isaac answered as coolly as he could manage, then blushed and frowned when Scott let out a small, sad laugh.

“You were whining.”

Isaac stopped shaking when Scott placed a hand on his shoulder. The hand quickly moved to Isaac’s forehead and he sighed. “What?” he asked, looking up at Scott through curly bangs. It had taken everything he had not to flinch when Scott moved towards him, but now that he was touching him he realized how badly he didn’t want to be left alone.

“You’ve got a fever,” Scott answered, pulling back. “I’m gonna go get some medicine,” he added before quietly walking out of the room.

“Wait, Scott-”

“I’ll be right back.”

He could feel a slight stinging in the back of his eyes, but quickly willed it away as he tried to let himself wait. Scott was someone he could wait for. Trust was one of the first words that came to mind when he tried to think of the dumb kid with a crooked jaw. There was something kind about him. It was a trait that Isaac was quick to notice, but kindness never worked out well for him. Rather than use it to manipulate his friends, however, Isaac realized he used it to create peace and encourage cooperation.

The thought made him laugh. Isaac, cooperating with another stupid teen because the boy was nice to him? No, no that definitely wasn’t it all. Scott was the same as Derek. He gave him a purpose, a plan, one that didn’t include getting beaten or screamed at when he failed. Scott had only ever tried to protect him when he needed it, and trusted him when he was strong.

Isaac hated feeling weak, and now, sitting alone in Scott’s room, he felt utterly vulnerable and abased. He was at Scott’s mercy. If the teen wanted to throw him out then he had to leave. Though, it was a bit of a comfort to have someone to tell him what to do, to give him guidance that he knew would never be enforced with a punch or a smashed glass. He sat up and pulled his knees to his chest before resting his chin on his arms that held together his folded legs. A tear tickled him and he brushed it away with a frown that made his cheeks ache. Apparently, he needed to be taken care of as well.

Scott returned, and if not for his extra senses then Isaac wouldn’t have heard the teen at all. “Heh, I barely heard you that time,” Isaac complimented, looking up at Scott, whose thick brows formed one as they met in worry. “Oh, don’t make that fuckin’ face,” he complained, kicking his legs out so they mussed the blankets around him.

“Isaac... your eyes,” Scott added, concern clear in his maturing voice. He moved closer to Isaac and knelt, making the teen scoot back out of habit. “Hey, come on.”

Isaac swallowed and gave a small nod as he braced himself for whatever Scott was planning on doing. As Scott’s hand moved closer he shut his eyes, trembling despite his best efforts not too. When he felt cool fingers brush his temple he allowed himself a glance up at his friend.

“Isaac, your eyes, they’re red. N-not like alpha red,” Scott corrected when Isaac started to panic, “just red. Like they’re swollen.”

Isaac pursed his lips in frustration and looked to the side as Scott’s hand pulled away. Derek never commented when he caught Isaac let a tear or two free. He never asked when Isaac walked out of his room, red faced with glossy eyes and a stuffed nose, so the comment from Scott made him anxious.

“Yeah, I... rubbed them. I’m still tired,” he said, reaching out to push Scott’s shoulder lightly.

“Oh, well, take these.”

An outstretched hand offered up two white pills while the other had a water bottle. Isaac scratched at the sweat that tickled his forehead before taking the offered medicine. “Derek doesn’t like us taking pills,” he explained, looking down at them with slight distaste.

“Derek’s a bastard,” Scott commented plainly, taking a seat across from him.

“Heh, he kind of is, isn’t he?” Down the pills went.

“Do you really do everything he asks?” Scott asked after they had been silent for a moment.

Isaac shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest, holding himself the best he could. The pose was comforting. “Not everything,” he lied, shrugging. “I mean, I don’t tell him everything I do, I don’t ask him for permission and shit. I don’t really have a reason not to do what he wants.” It was all for the good of the pack anyway. “I do what you tell me, too.”

Scott laughed and shrugged. “Well that’s different-”

“No it’s not.”

Isaac swallowed when Scott stopped shifting and laughing, and a blush rose to his cheeks as Scott leveled his gaze at him.

“I do what you tell me to do, like when I had to drug Jackson or listen to that Vet of yours.” It was all the same. “I don’t do these things for fun.”

“Then why? Why listen to me and Derek? Wouldn’t it be easier to do what he says? He’s your alpha.”

“You say that like that word means anything to you,” Isaac spat, then turned his head to the side in shame. “Sorry... can we not talk about Derek right now?”

He hoped desperately that Scott couldn’t hear him choking back a whimper of fear, or see the salt water that stung in his eyes. It wasn’t until he felt Scott run his fingers through his messy, curly hair, that Isaac lifted his head to look at him again. “Is that why you’re crying, because of Derek?”

Isaac brought his knees back up to form a barrier between him and Scott, then hid his face against his arms so the other teen couldn’t see his face twist as he started to lose control. The hand in his curls didn’t pull away, however. It stayed, and began stroking him as if he was a weeping child. The move was probably offensive to someone out there, someone who could water it down to condescension or chalk it up as a shallow move of comfort. But this was Isaac. No one ever touched him to comfort him. No one but Scott or Derek when he knew no one could see. He pressed himself against the hand, and ignored the small sigh of sad relief Scott let out when he didn’t get his hand bitten off.

They stayed like that for a long moment, with Scott’s long fingers running through Isaac’s slightly knotted hair, still a little damp from the rain. When he stopped feeling movement, Isaac instinctively reached up to touch the fingers that were stuck nestled in his hair. He held the hand tightly, pulling it down so it rested with the back against his cheek.

All he wanted was for someone to hold him, to tell him he was good enough. This was going to have to do, for now.


	2. Heel, Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac leaves Scott's house for the day and eventually decides to return to Derek's apartment. Things don't go as he hopes. Beta'd by the wonderful Rose.

Isaac woke with a start. He barely remembered falling asleep, let alone how he managed to sleep through Scott waking up. As he sat in a daze, trying to figure out what time it was, Scott stepped into the room, hair sopping wet and dripping down his face. The towel around his waist barely managed to cover anything and it made Isaac squirm uncomfortably. There was something about the way the slightly younger teen smiled at him that made Isaac feel like he was guilty of something, as if he’d done something wrong.

“What?” Scott asked, stopping to look down at his friend who was trying desperately to stand up despite the mess of sheets and blankets that surrounded him. “Do you have work today?”

“What? No, no I ,” Isaac patted his pockets, trying to find his cell phone. Maybe Derek had called or texted him, telling him to come back. The idea made his stomach sink and the breath in his lungs go foul.

“Then what’s wrong?”

Isaac looked up at Scott to answer, then blushed deeply when he started looking through drawers to pull out clothes. “Nothing. I should probably just go,” he decided, fumbling for his bag.

“Why? It’s a Saturday and we have the house to ourselves,” Scott explained with a slightly confused frown.

Had Scott been looking forward to this? Is that why he was confused. No, Isaac told himself, no one really wanted to be around him so that wasn’t an option. “I just don’t want to get in the way, and Derek is probably expecting me to show up and visit him.”

“Isaac, he kicked you out,” Scott explained with a sigh, letting his arm fall to his side with a wet slap. “And it’s dangerous for you to be out there alone. What if they get a hold of you again? If Deucalion finds you then-”

“What’s he gonna do?” Isaac asked with a bitter laugh as he rubbed his arm nervously. “It can’t be any worse than what’s already happened. Boyd won’t even look at me, and Erica,” a choke strangled him mid-sentence and he looked down at his feet as his lower lip shook. Erica had been taken from him, cut down when she was still young. It made his blood boil.

“Yeah, and if he gets you too then you’ll end up just like her. Do you think me and Derek would be able to live with ourselves if anything happened to you?”

“Derek doesn’t care,” he explained, pulling his backpack on.

“I do.”

Isaac paused to listen to Scott before taking a moment to look at his friend. A small smile pinched the corner of his lips and he looked down, grinning sheepishly. “Thanks, for letting me stay the night I mean but I should go. I need to get some practice in.”

He didn’t see Scott step forward to pat him on the shoulder, so when a damp hand gently landed on him he looked up and blushed deeply. Scott was just smiling at him with that dumb, overly positive face of his. It make Isaac wonder if he ever made Scott happy in the same way he felt when Scott smiled at him. He took a moment to drown in doubt before stepping back. “See you at school.”

“You sure you don’t want to... stay.”

By the time Isaac heard Scott he’d already rushed out of his room and was heading out of his house. He didn’t want to need Scott’s protection. The younger boy had a life to live, and a romance of his own to complete. He couldn’t burden Stiles with this problem either, he always had too much going on anyway. There was nowhere he could go, no one he could trust. Being around people he actually liked was too hard, too risky, and it left him feeling like he owed them a piece of him. There was no point in handing out bits of himself when they were worth nothing except for the burden they carried.

He stopped for a moment to think. Baggage. That was the word. He was just baggage, through and through, someone to be tossed on to the next person to deal with. Would Derek tell him what he did wrong? Would Scott forgive him for leaving without an explanation? He doubted both. Maybe he could go to Deaton? The man had been kind to him, and he clearly trusted Isaac around sick animals. That had to mean something to the people who scorned him, right?

He turned down the road the vet’s office was on, then slowed to get his breath. Being outside was dangerous for him, especially now that he’d been pushed away by Derek. What if this kept happening? What if he became an omega by force, not willingly? If that happened then Isaac knew he was dead. There was no way he could survive out on his own, and he wasn’t about to allow himself to be taken in by a group of alphas. He had a feeling the twins wanted nothing more than to tear him in half. Literally, he assumed, considering they would have to share him.

His stomach twisted and flipped as he stopped to wretch on the side of the road, his nerves carving holes into his already broken self-esteem. He needed to go back to Derek, at least for the day. When night came he’d slink back to Scott’s house and ask to stay again. He was lucky that his friend’s mother was on their side, and aware that he was in danger. If she wasn’t then he doubted she’d open up her home to a teen who was accused of patricide.

Yes, he definitely needed to go back to Derek.

The walk back was long, only because he hadn’t gotten much sleep, and there was little he could do to distract himself on the way there. He stopped to pick up some food for the house, partly as a “please let me back in” gift and partly because Derek always forgot that people needed to eat.

As he walked up the rattling stairs to their upper loft he heard a whisper that made his already upset stomach rise into his chest.

“You really shouldn’t be out alone,” Peter commented idly, leaning against the railing at the top of the stairwell.

Isaac frowned and did his best to walk around the man who narrowed his eyes at him. “That’s why I’m here.”

“Oh,” Peter exclaimed, nodding as if he understood what Isaac was going through. “Well that makes sense.” As he spoke, Peter worked his way between Isaac and the next staircase. The teen frowned up at him, fighting hard to keep himself from rushing forward when Peter crossed his arms and smirked. “He won’t let you back in there, you know. Won’t even let me in, and I’m family,” he said with a sigh, inspecting his own nails curiously.

“I’m not you, ~” Isaac answered, unafraid of the beast who loomed before him. He didn’t care that Peter was well groomed, if pushed he’d even describe Peter as handsome. It really was unfortunate that his personality made him want to wretch. “Derek will let me back in,” he assured the other, taking a step up.

When Peter put a hand out to rest on Isaac’s chest the teen grabbed it and twisted it away. Peter retaliated like Isaac knew he would, and the lankier of the two wound up tumbling to the bottom of the stairs. “Come on, I don’t want to hurt you,” Peter sighed, reaching down to grab the bag of food Isaac dropped before he fell.

Isaac got back onto his feet, forcing his claws out, ready to defend himself, but Peter laughed and shook his head. “I’m not looking for a fight, I’m just saying that Derek doesn’t want you anymore, that’s all.”

Looking up at Peter from the bottom of the stairs made Isaac feel small, and that was a feeling he was never going to let himself get used to. “Derek can tell me that himself,” he answered as coolly as he could manage, which he struggled for. “I don’t listen to you.”

Peter laughed and shrugged. “No one ever listens to me, but I’m always right, aren’t I. I was right about you.”

“What do you mean, you were right about me?” Isaac asked, his thin lips forming an accidental frown.

“I told Derek that you were too, what’s the word.” Peter stopped to think, and each moment that passed made it harder for Isaac to stay put. “Eager. Too eager, that’s right.”

“How?”

“How, what? What do you mean how? You’re too eager, too willing to please. We can’t ever tell if you’re on Derek’s side or Scott’s side. I don’t really know if I can trust you-”

“I don’t really care whether or not you trust me,” Isaac clarified, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You should.” Suddenly Peter’s face was very serious, and he stared down at Isaac. “You served your purpose, but we’re both done with you.”

Isaac took a small step back. He debated on rushing past Peter, but the idea of those hands touching his skin again made him ill. “Derek.” he spoke quietly, knowing his alpha could hear him. “If you really want me gone then come tell me in person.”

Peter shook his head and sighed piteously. “He won’t come Isaac. He has real family now, he doesn’t need you.”


	3. Shoot Me Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac gets grabbed by Ennis and Deucalion, and use him to prove a point to Derek. Beta'd by Rose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive Warning: This chapter contains graphic rape, torture, suicidal thoughts, and voyeurism . Please do not read if any of these make you uncomfortable.

The vet’s office was safe. It was a safe place. Isaac had to keep reminding himself of that as he re-walked the space between Derek’s “apartment” and the veterinarian’s. He didn’t think he’d be able to manage that much walking in a day, not because he was out of shape, but because he was tired. There wasn’t much he could do to help himself either, except keep walking.

What would a normal person do in this situation, he wondered, fighting not to drag his feet as he made his way down the road. Would they have called a cab? Asked for a ride? No, a normal person wouldn’t be in this situation, he thought, taking a small break to catch his breath. There was little doubt in his mind about his reality. About who or what he was supposed to be. The best he could do was survive. That would show everyone. He’d pull through, and not just survive, but flourish. When he put his mind to something he tended to be great at it. It was what he had to keep telling himself, to remind himself of his achievements. There were things he was good at, even if a lot of the people around him forgot.

Scott never forgot.

Thinking of Scott made him halt. He was confused, more than usual, about how to handle this relationship. He humored the idea of asking Alan Deaton for his opinion on the matter. Dr. Deaton had been there to see the way Scott acted around him, or at least, he saw how comfortable the two of them were together. Isaac didn’t want to jump to conclusions, lest he make Scott uncomfortable enough to turn him away.

With a sigh he started walking again, reminding himself that the distance wasn’t that long, and that he had the advantage of a fit body. It didn’t make him feel better, nor did it make the walk less unpleasant. He stopped to adjust one of his shoelaces when he heard it. A low, grinding howl that made his hair stand on end. A quick assessment told him that if he ran hard and fast, that he could make it to the vet’s office in three minutes. He started to think of other ways he’d be able to hide, but by then his legs were already moving, pounding forward.

The second one caught him by surprise. It was closer, much closer, and he spared a quick glance back to figure out where it was coming from.

The truck was barreling at him, closing the gap between Isaac and the front bumper with graceless speed. Isaac hurried and ran off the road, knowing full well the truck was capable of following him. He could see some woods off in the distance, all he needed to do was cross the small field between the road and the trees and he’d be safe. What he hadn’t been expecting, however, was to see a partially changed werewolf jump out the passenger seat. With a few long bounds the creature was upon him.

Isaac wished he was able to recognize the man who grabbed him by the shoulders with clawed hands before throwing him to the ground. He managed a half-change, nothing he couldn’t hide if a human walked by, but the alpha who had him was more than twice his size. Without so much as a groan of discomfort he grabbed Isaac tight around the throat with one hand as the other covered his mouth. He crushed Isaac’s back against his chest and dragged the kicking, growling teen towards the truck. In his desperation to get away, Isaac quickly realized that his vision was spotting and he began clawing at the hand that kept his throat closed.

“Stop fighting and I’ll get go.”

Isaac frowned into the hand over his mouth, but stilled his movements. All he needed was one good breath in and he’d be able to fight again. When the hand pulled off his throat, however, it moved to twist one of his arms roughly behind his back. He sucked in a few deep breaths through his nose before he stomped on one of the man’s feet and slammed his head back, hoping to break a nose or knock out a few teeth. The short moment of victory he had was spoiled when the side of his head was grabbed and crushed against the truck door. He managed to cling to consciousness long enough to feel the man effortlessly lift him into the back seat of the truck.

Half an hour later he woke, his head aching and ears ringing. He was in someone’s arms, and heard the distinct clatter of foot meeting stair. They didn’t sound like the stairs he knew, and it made him uneasy. As he slowly recalled what was happening, feigning sleep, but he heard the man carrying him chuckle.

“I know you’re awake, bitch,” he growled, before Isaac allowed himself to open his eyes.

He took a long hard moment to study the werewolf’s face before trying to take a swing at it. His attempt was cut short when one of his hands buried it in his sweaty curls, forcing Isaac to cling to that very same arm so he didn’t fall. “If you’re going to kill me then do it, stop fucking around.”

“Shut up.”

When they got to a doorway the werewolf kicked it open and walked to the center of the room before carelessly dropping Isaac on the cold floor. Isaac hit the floor hard before scrambling to his feet in a rush to protect himself from the alphas around him. Once he managed to get into a crouching position he noticed the man standing between himself and a wall of old, stained windows.

“Did you know,” the man started, his back still facing Isaac, “that the Cherokee people didn’t hunt wolves? They believed that the brother of the slain wolf would come to exact revenge on the murderers. Isn’t that just.. poetic.” With a sigh, the man turned to the side and reached inside his jacket to pull out a rod. Isaac watched as he mechanically unfolded it into a long, thin cane, then jumped when he heard the door close behind him. “It makes me wonder if there actually is a difference between respect and fear,” he continued, turning elegantly so he was facing Isaac.

With the cane sliding back and forth as a guide, he slowly walked towards Isaac, stopping before his cane even had the chance to brush against the trembling teenager. A hand from behind him gripped his hair, forcing him to stay low, so he was forced to keep his head down, supposedly so he couldn’t look up at the man who now hovered over him. Instead his eyes focused on the alpha’s expensive leather shoes. He was one of those rich bastards who got his shoes shined, and the thought made Isaac want to spit on them.

“Like with Derek,” the alpha explained, carefully kneeling so he could reach out and stroke Isaac’s face with the tips of his clawed fingers. The teen pulled away in a flinch, shaking so hard he could see his curls tremble out of the corners of his eyes. “You respect him, but you’re afraid of him, no? See, I understand being afraid around Derek. He’s too lenient, too irrational. He doesn’t understand how to take charge and put those beneath him in their place. It’s scary when you know your alpha is weak-”

“He’s not weak,” Isaac forced out, anger swirling inside him, breaking down the barriers and filters he kept up to keep himself safe. “And he’s not irrational, he just doesn’t ever do what’s easy or quick,” he spat, his voice cracking. There was a slight tremor of the walking stick as Deucalion stood, and he had to fight not to reach out and smack it away. “Of course it’s easy to do whatever you want when you take the simple way, but Derek doesn’t. He cares about his pack, not for image or to show off to you assholes, but because we’re family.” The longer he spoke the harsher his words became, and by the end he was growling out his speech. “He will come find me, and if you kill me-”

The alpha laughed and shook his head condescendingly. “I’m not going to kill you, that would be too much work and not at all worth the reward. You’re one of the last pack members Derek has, and I want to remind him of the responsibility he has for you.”

Isaac gasped as Ennis grabbed the back of his neck, gripping so hard his claws bit into the delicate skin around his throat. Now his eyes were up on Deucalion, and he watched as the alpha slipped his sunglasses off with delicate, boney fingers. The glasses were carefully folded up, then placed in the breast pocket of his jacket, leaving his grey and red eyes exposed. The cane stood vertically centered in front of him, and the werewolf held it upright with two meticulously folded hands. His back was straight and poised, with his entire front and torso exposed, as if he knew nothing could hurt him. The pose was commanding, one a military officer would take, and it made Isaac’s ears burn.

“Just pretend I’m not here, if that makes it easier for you.”

The hand on the back of his neck snapped forward, pushing Isaac face first against the cold concrete of the floor beneath him. His now clawed hands dug rivets into the stone before one boldly reached back to try and grasp the arm that held him there. The crack of his bone reached his ears before the pain did, and he screamed as his elbow bent unnaturally beneath the hold of Ennis’s broad grasp.

“You’re going to help me send a loud and clear message to Derek Hale, and Ennis is going to help me. He owes you a little something that your pack mates denied him before, and this time there will be no interruptions.”

With one hand on the back of his belt and the other still gripping his neck, Ennis forced Isaac onto his hands and knees, making the teen let out a soft, keening whimper. “No, no,” he panted, pushing his weight onto his arm as it healed.

“Do not make me force you to stay still,” the blind alpha threatened quietly. “I’d rather not have to take the extra time with it.”

Isaac pushed his jaw out a little before letting out a frustrated scream. It surprised Ennis enough to make him loosen his grip, letting Isaac reach out to smack the cane from Deucalion. Despite how hard he tried the cane didn’t budge, and the satisfaction of knowing he tried made Isaac grin, even though the hand around his neck tightened.

As Isaac gasped for breath he realized that he was back on his hands and knees, and his heart began to race in a panic. He’d fooled around with Erica and Boyd, both for fun and to show his submission to them, and he’d humored the idea of doing the same with Derek. This was different, though. This was less about hurting him and more about hurting Derek, though Isaac was sure that Ennis was looking forward to inflicting as much pain as possible. And if they thought he was going to make this easy, then they picked the wrong Beta to screw with.

All he had to do was wait for the right moment to strike, to see an opening and take it. That was something Isaac was never very good at. Instead, he waited until he felt a hand slip under his shirt. He pressed his claws deep into the tough skin of the man’s forearm, desperate to get it away from his soft organs. Ennis let out a distinctly chilling laugh and pressed his nails deep into Isaac’s abdomen, tearing into muscle, threatening to gut him and leave him for dead. Isaac stilled and ,after a bit of self-coaxing, pulled his claws back in. When Ennis did the same Isaac rolled onto his back and kicked him straight in the throat.

“Now now,” Deucalion chastised, stepping forward with his cane outstretched. “I’d warn you against hurting him again. Ennis doesn’t ever take “no” very well.”

Isaac had enough time to bring his arms up to protect his face from the sudden rage of Ennis’s claws, but his chest and stomach suffered for it.

“If I were you, I’d just lay back and take it. Maybe enjoy yourself a little if you’re into that kind of thing.”

“I’m not,” Isaac growled, bringing his legs up so he could kick his assailant again. It took him a second to register the broad hand that wrapped around his ankles and pulled him closer so he was trapped under Ennis’s large frame.

“Well, you should try. You’re a beta after all, there isn’t much else you’re capable of.”

Isaac growled at the insult and opened his mouth to send back one of his own when a calloused palm covered his lips and chin with crushing force. Ennis leaned in close enough that each exhale made Isaac’s bangs rattle. It reeked, like rotting flesh, and made Isaac wrinkle his nose and brow in disgust. The man over him must have noticed, and was insulted enough to pull his arm away so he could backhand Isaac hard enough to dislocate his jaw. He’d always thought his father hit hard, now he wasn’t so sure.

“Come along now Ennis, this is getting dull. Or maybe you can’t with me standing here and listening?”

Ennis let out a groan of disagreement and Isaac felt his stomach sink as the beast above him slowly turned to him with blood lust in his deep red eyes. The fingers that he used to tear into Isaac’s chest now tore his shirt open, pushing easily past the teens arms as he raised them to defend himself. Rough and hard fingers groped, leaving behind bruises Isaac knew would take a long time to heal.

He growled, reaching up to attack the already scarred face with exposed claws, but his wrists were grabbed and bound by a leather belt.

“It’s wolf hide,” Deucalion explained as the metal snaps clanked against each other. “It’s been treated to withstand the strength of a weak werewolf.”

“Treated with what?” Isaac asked, squirming as his now bound hands were pushed over his head. Panic started to take over, and he had to fight not to scream or cry as an uncaring hand carved lines into his chest.

“Tsk tsk tsk, why would I tell you that?”

With a quick move of his arms, Ennis had Isaac back on his stomach, but determination kept the smaller of the two from giving up. He’d fought hard to live till now, even against good friends, and he wasn’t about to let these two have what they wanted, even if it meant he wound up dead. “So I know what to use to strangle you.”

Deucalion let out a quiet laugh at the threat, but shook his head as if he was embarrassed on Isaac’s behalf. “Ennis, you asked if you could do this, so please hurry up, I have a schedule to keep.”

As Deucalion spoke, Isaac tried to slip away from Ennis, but a handful of long claws dug into his lower back, forcing him to stay. He managed to hold back the cry of pain, but accidentally let out one of fear as the claws slowly slipped downwards, cutting through his belt and the top hem of his jeans. “Stop,” he growled, but a hand on the back of his neck pushed him down so his face and chest were pressed roughly against the cement beneath him. So he lay, trembling, unable to move as fingers explored his now exposed upper thighs, lower back and everything in between. When he tried to push the hands away, Ennis reached up and pinned the teen’s wrists back against the floor, limiting his movements even more.

“He’s not a very gentle creature, is he?”

Isaac forced his eyes open so he could look out the corner of his eye at Deucalion, who stared forward at open air.

“There is one benefit to being blind,” he continued as Isaac choked back a whine at the sound of a small bottle popping open behind him. “My other senses have improved drastically. I don’t need to have sight to know exactly what is happening in this room. It also helps that I have quite the vivid imagination, as one might expect from having lived with sight for so long.”

Isaac wondered if Deucalion could really hear everything, especially the pained whimper that slipped out as two clawed fingers forced their way inside him, or the growl he released once they pushed in completely. Despite how hard he tried not to listen, Isaac couldn’t help but hear the sound of slick skin on skin, or the low, vibrating sound of Ennis’s heavy, lusty breathing. “You’re probably enjoying this,” Isaac half-laughed, bitterness clear in his voice.

“Not in the way you think,” he explained stepping forward. Isaac trembled as he saw those perfect leather shoes move closer to him, then swallowed a whimper as he felt the cane press against the back of his head. He grew quiet, then softly asked for them to stop when the fingers were pulled out, nicking him and opening him up. The hand on his wrists held him down tighter and Isaac turned his face so his forehead was pressed against the floor. He didn’t want to be seen, didn’t want to be watched or heard. If there was any time in his life when he wanted to die, this moment was it.

He would never describe himself as innocent, and he was grateful for the thing’s he’d done before, with his pack mates and friends. The teen didn’t care much about how people looked or what they did, he cared about how they treated him and why. Boyd had been gentle, Erica hadn’t, both were fine, but this, this was hell. What little bit of hope he had, the little bit of life he managed to contain, was fading. Try as he might, Isaac couldn’t hold back his cry of pain as Ennis pressed into him, digging his raw knees into the broken stone beneath him. Each push made his stomach clench and twist, and within a few minutes he could feel fingers pulling at his hair, snapping him out of the comforting reverie he’d managed to get himself into.

Hands on his hips buried two inch long claws into his sensitive skin, and Isaac blushed as he tried to pull away from them. He watched as his own, bloody fingertips clawed at the floor beneath him. So this was going to be his life? Escape one evil man just to end up at the mercy of another? The thought made him weak and the fear silenced him, like it had so many times, so he closed his eyes and waited for it to end.


	4. Stuck in the Middle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac finds someone to bring him somewhere safe, only that somewhere is not where he intended it to be. Beta'd by Rose.

Over the smells of sex and sweat that clung to him, Isaac could catch bits of alcohol and antiseptic. Loose pieces of asphalt dug into his palms as he pushed himself up, and he took advantage of his solitude to figure out where he was. His nose said they abandoned him outside the hospital, leaving him in an empty parking lot. It was smart, Isaac realized, when he looked up for cameras but couldn’t find any. Too smart.

He let his throbbing head rest against the cool wall behind him and he closed his eyes; maybe this was best, he decided, letting his breathing slow. He couldn’t defend himself against them, and wasn’t even important enough to kill, so what did that make him? Part of him wished it made him strong, but the rest of him said no. It didn’t make him strong, it made him useless.

After a pause to debate on what to do Isaac reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, grateful that Ennis was probably too stupid to think to get rid of it, or Deucalion was smart enough to let him keep it. Maybe he didn’t want his little project to accidentally bleed to death outside a hospital. It might have raised suspicion, and Isaac figured that these alphas were very good at keeping out of the public eye. As he thought, Isaac went to his contacts, thumb hovering over a few different names. There were only a handful of choices, ranging from people he liked and trusted to people he knew would kill him if given the chance. He chose from somewhere in the middle, someone whose coldness worried him but whose intelligence he respected. The cell rang a few times before a confused voice answered. “Stiles? I have a question.”

Five minutes later Isaac heard the groan of Stiles’ cheap jeep coming up through the parking lot and he had to fight the bile that rose up in his throat.

“I still don’t get why I can’t call Scott,” the teen complained, getting out of his car with a grunt, “why can’t you bleed on his bike?” Despite his griping, Stiles quickly went to Isaac’s side to help him to his feet.

A hiss of discomfort escaped as Isaac stood upright, and he pulled a little on Stiles for balance. “Not so fast,” he whispered, holding his stomach. “Did you put down the towels?”

“Yeah, yeah of course,” Stiles answered, and Isaac could feel his gaze as he tried to figure out what was wrong. When he saw the teen’s large brown eyes widened at the sight of his unbuttoned jeans and dirty knees he knew Stiles had it figured out. “I’m not really equipped to help with this kinda situation.”

“Just get us out of here, then we can figure something out,” Isaac argued, eager to be somewhere safe and warm. When Stiles opened the trunk of his jeep, exposing the makeshift bed he’d made from a couple of old towels, Isaac smirked with relief. “At least you listened to me.”

“Yeah yeah, let’s get you in.”

Isaac fought not to whimper or groan, but the process of sitting down once more made him feel even more pathetic, so he chose to lay down the best he could.

His mind wandered as they drove. He knew something was different about him, something fundamental, but he couldn’t find the words for it. Loss was definitely one of those things, but it was more than just loss, it was transformation.

Soft hands on his face woke him, and he sat up quickly before Melissa McCall pushed him back down. “Don’t you think of getting up, mister,” she chastised, and Isaac looked around for Stiles, eager to find out why he was in the only house he was trying to avoid. “Looking for Stiles? He left, so don’t go blaming him for bringing you here.”

Isaac let his head fall back and allowed himself to relax. He was back in the McCall household, laying on the couch in the living room. When he looked down to make sure he wasn’t bleeding on the sofa he saw the towels from Stiles’ jeep were laid down beneath him. “Good idea,” he commented, smirking has he patted the towels.

Melissa chuckled and shook her head. “Just so you know, it was a pain to get you out of that car and into the house.” He could practically hear her put her hands on her hips as she looked down at him.

He watched as she knelt beside him and took a short moment to give his body a quick once-over with her eyes. He could see the ideas going through her head, and all of them made his throat dry. “I’m fine,” he said quietly.

“No you’re not," Melissa argued, one of her brows quirked as she thought. “I hate to ask this now but do you want me to do a swab?” she asked, her kind face professional as she rested a gentle hand on his arm. “The sooner the better. I can get some DNA and we can talk to Sheriff Stili-”

“No, no that wouldn’t work, it wouldn’t,” Isaac insisted, fighting to keep his voice from breaking. Melissa nodded and pursed her lips.

“If you weren’t a special case I’d make you,” she explained, folding her arms, her stare disapproving.

Isaac gave a weak smile and nodded. “I’ll heal, you’ve seen it.”

After a long moment she nodded and he let out a breath of relief. “If we’re not doing that then you have to at least let me give you a checkup.” When he started to argue she silenced him. “Isaac, there’s nothing embarrassing about this.”

He watched her face carefully, trying to read the stern expression she wore. The concern in her eyes was clear, but there was something harder than that. It came through in the lines around her thin face and the wrinkles around her eyes. I was the same face she made when Scott was put in difficult situations, and it made Isaac’s chest tighten. He lowered his head, fighting to keep tears from stinging his eyes. The stiff nod was all he could manage as shame burned his face.

An hour later he was sitting in a towel as Melissa helped dry his hair. She let him bathe by himself, but he could sense her standing just outside the door in case he slipped or needed help with anything. The gesture was kind. Unnecessary, but kind. Isaac appreciated it more than he could express, so he didn’t bother trying.

“I’ll be right back,” she said when she finished, taking the towel she used to dry Isaac’s hair and his dirty, blood stained clothes along with her. When she returned there was a pair of grey sweats and a white t-shirt in her hands, and Isaac took them from her with an embarrassed smile. “The pants didn’t fit Scott when we got them, they were too long, so they should fit you.”

Isaac blushed again and felt a half smirk tug at his cheek.

“Well, you get dressed, Scott should be home soon so I’ll tell him you’re back.”

“Don’t tell him what happened,” Isaac asked, clenching onto the clothes in his lap.

Melissa sighed, then sat down beside Isaac, resting one of her hands over his. “My son may be an idiot, but he’s your friend.” She gave him a playful smirk, then stood, planting a motherly kiss on his curls. “Now get dressed,” she added, giving his hair a ruffle before walking out of the spare bedroom.

He started to slowly get dressed, trying to focus on his sudden hunger rather than the impending confrontation between him and Scott. He should have just listened to him, he thought, sitting down once he started to feel a little dizzy.

“Isaac! I got a page from the hospital, I have to go! Use whatever you need, I’m sure there’s some food in the fridge!” Melissa called up the stairs while he finished pulling the shirt on.

Isaac was grateful for the air of professionalism she kept about herself, otherwise he might have been able to catch traces of guilt in her voice.

“I’ll be fine, have a safe drive to work!”

He sat, biting his lip, until her heard the front door close, and within minutes her car engine revved and she pulled away, leaving Isaac alone. He decided to get some of the food that Melissa had offered him, and stood, wavering slightly once he was back up. The stairs were going to be a challenge, but he prepared himself for them as he made his way down the hall, stopping in Scott’s room to steal a hoodie from his closet.

If he was lucky, Scott would decide to go hang out with Stiles or go visit Allison to talk about their relationship. Maybe Scott would spend the night somewhere else and not even bother returning home.

Isaac sat down with a cheese sandwich, there wasn’t much else available in the McCall house, and stared at it. His mouth felt dry and his stomach groaned in displeasure. The teen managed to try and force down a bite, but gagged instead. His struggled lasted through a few more nibbled before he pushed the sandwich and plate away in defeat. His arms replaced the space left by the plate, and he folded them over each other so he could comfortably rest his dizzy head on his forearms. The first sob choked him, and he tried to keep himself quiet, which only served to intensify the painful convulsions that started in his chest. Between the wracking sobs he struggled to breathe, but each gasp of air was cut short by a whimper to try and keep his tears from falling. Feelings of suffocation strangled him, and it wasn’t until he had his hands wrapped protectively around his head that he allowed himself to cry.

Calming himself down took longer than usual, he realized. No matter how hard he tried to reel in his emotions they continued to pour out, covering his face and sleeves in salt water as he kept stubbornly wiping them away. He needed to stop, before someone saw him, before someone learned the truth about him. The stress of needing to stop, and the fear of being caught, made the tears fall even faster.

There was no chance to think about why he was crying. The feelings of fear and despair overwhelmed any memories or flashbacks that might have blinded him, leaving him unable to settle himself no matter how hard he tried. There was nothing to think about, nothing to remember, just absolute hopelessness that left him floating.

His head snapped up, pulling him out of his trance when the sound of heavy feet and keys were at the front door. Within seconds Scott barreled into his house, yelling out Isaac’s name. Isaac hurried to wipe off his face before Scott found him, but Scott managed to catch him in the act.

Without a word Scott rushed forward and pulled Isaac into his arms.

The taller of the two stayed in his chair and leaned forward, letting his forehead rest against Scott’s collarbone. He wasn’t ready to talk, not by a long shot, and he desperately hoped that Scott wouldn’t ask any questions. When his friend didn’t say anything, Isaac reached up and clung onto the back of Scott’s shirt. He wanted to be surprised at the attention, but when he felt Scott’s heart beating hard against his chest he knew Scott probably had his own reasons for it. Maybe he now felt responsible for Isaac, filling in the place Derek should have been.

Scott rested his chin on the top of Isaac’s head, and Isaac could hear the heavy breath he took in. He wanted to ask what Scott knew, if anyone told him. He’d be able to tell if Scott lied, that was easy enough, but he’d be able to tell if Scott was telling the truth, and that scared him more.

“Why are you wearing my shirt?” Scott asked playfully, pulling back so he could rub Isaac’s shoulder as his sobs slowly dissipated. Isaac could hear the unhappiness that scratched the back of his throat, but chose to ignore it.

“I got cold,” he lied, smiling up at Scott; it wasn’t something he was able to do very often.

He watched the corner of Scott’s mouth twitch and the teen laughed. “Yeah, it gets cold in here sometimes.” Scott looked around for a moment, then turned back to Isaac, one of his brows raised. “Want to get some real food?”

Isaac looked at the plate and partially eaten sandwich before rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah?”

Scott smiled and patted his shoulder again. “We’ll get delivery,” he offered, turning to grab the menus they had stashed around the kitchen.

He watched Scott move busily about the room before his heart squeezed painfully in his chest. He could see it in the way Scott avoided his eyes and in the way the teen’s nostrils flared every now and then. He knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will say now, I am not super happy with the second half of this chapter. I'll continue to work hard at the next chapter, however, so I hope you forgive me. Unfortunately, I won't be able to do another update for a while (work reasons) but I will get another chapter up once I have a chance to sit and edit what I have written.


	5. Between Here and There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac finally goes to Derek to talk about what happened, then returns to school for the first time after getting in a little pack bonding. Beta'd by the wonderful Rose, of course.

Scott put a nervous hand on Isaac’s shoulder, and the teen had to fight not to shrug it off. This was something he needed to do, and it was essential he do it alone. There was no way he was going to talk to Derek with anyone else there, even though Scott insisted they do it together.

“I can stay if you want,” Scott offered for the third time, squeezing a little harder on Isaac’s shoulder. He turned, facing his slightly shorter friend with a somewhat serious smile on his face. It was the best he could manage now, considering how scared he was about Derek’s impending reaction.

“No, I need to tell him alone,” Isaac assured his friend, taking a hold of the hand on his shoulder. He held it for a short moment before letting it go. “I’ll come home when we’re done.”

“At least let me walk you to the door, so I know you got there safe.”

Isaac remembered how Peter reacted the last time he tried to go back to Derek and nodded. Derek had no respect for Isaac, but he feared Scott, and when it came to Peter it was fear that mattered more.

The two of them walked up the long steps that led to Derek’s loft mostly in silence. Every now and then Scott would complain, but Isaac couldn’t bring himself to joke or laugh along with him. He was afraid of what Derek might do. Derek was prone to overreaction and underreaction equally. In a way, he thought it would be easier if Derek got mad at him, if he accused him of being weak, stupid. If he accused him of wanting it. That reaction would be easier than complete and utter indifference, which Derek was known for. His heart ached at the thought of Derek shrugging it off. He tried to keep his thoughts from reaching his face but knew he had failed when Scott placed a gentle hand on the space between his shoulders.

Derek was at the door before they even reached the top, his arms crossed over his broad chest as he stared down at the boys. “You, inside, now,” he said, pointing to Isaac.

Isaac stole a glance at Scott before hurrying inside. The blood rushing in his ears crowded out the words Derek said to Scott, and it wasn’t until Derek closed the door that he realized the two of them were really alone.

Isaac stood in the middle of the open room, his hands shoved into his pockets as he waited. He wanted nothing more than to rush to the corner of the room, but this gave him space to flee if he needed to. Besides, he thought showing Derek he wasn’t afraid, even though he clearly was, might save what little pride he had left.

Derek closed the space between them silently, stopping only a few feet away from Isaac, and Isaac avoided Derek’s eyes out of respect and guilt.

“You should have come straight to me,” Derek said, making Isaac look up at him via a forceful hand on his chin.

“I don’t know what you’re-”

“I can smell him on you, Isaac.”

Isaac blushed and tried to look away, but the hand on his jaw tightened so he stayed staring at Derek’s face, still avoiding his eyes.

“Isaac, look at me.”

His lip shook, and it took him a few seconds to muster his confidence, but when he finally looked into Derek’s eyes he was met with rage and un-fallen tears.

“You told me you trusted me, but you didn’t come to me until now?” Isaac pretended he didn’t hear Derek’s voice crack. “I’m your alpha, I’m supposed to protect you, and you went to Scott?”

“I thought you’d be mad.”

“Of course I’m mad!” Derek yelled, his nostrils flaring. “First they kill Erica, then they rape you?”

“Please don’t call it that,” Isaac said, his voice pleading.

Derek pulled his hand away from Isaac’s face, and Isaac felt as the bruises his fingers left began to heal. “What am I supposed to call it, then? Assault? No, no they’ve beaten you up before, they’ve almost killed you. This is different. This was meant to hurt you and humiliate you.”

“It worked,” Isaac said quietly.

Derek’s jaw clenched and Isaac looked down so he didn’t have to see whatever face his alpha was making.

“But it’s not just about you, it’s about me and Erica and Boyd too. It’s a test to see how far they can go with my pack before I step in and take over.”

Isaac shrugged, pushing his hands deeper into his pockets.

“You were my first beta, Isaac, don’t forget that.”

Isaac felt as Derek pushed a gentle hand into his curls and rubbed them quasi affectionately. “Call Scott, tell him you’re staying here for the night.” Isaac looked up and Derek frowned in a way that told him he couldn’t argue. “Boyd is coming here tonight as well. The three of us have a lot of talking to do.”

Isaac nodded and texted Scott a quick “Staying the night, be back tomorrow” before flipping his phone shut.

***

The night wasn’t spent talking. Instead, once Derek got tired, he invited Boyd and Isaac into his room to sleep. Isaac thought it might be awkward, even though he’s slept and napped with Erica and Boyd multiple times. However, once the three of them were curled up with Derek in the middle, Isaac realized how badly he needed this. He ended up falling asleep with his head on Derek’s chest and his arm clinging to the shirt Boyd wore to sleep. It took the largest of the three the longest to relax, and Isaac knew the three of them could feel it. Erica’s absence made the night that much more lonely and that much more desperate, so both Isaac and Derek took some extra time with rubbing Boyd’s back and arm gently. He thought that maybe, if their grief wasn’t so fresh, that they might have stripped down and done a bit more pack bonding. But, as it was, it was comforting to have his alpha and pack-mate there with him. It made him realize how badly he needed the two of them, and how empty he’d be if they left him.

In the seconds before falling asleep he realized that if Scott and Allison were there the pack would be perfect. Even if Stiles and Lydia were there he wouldn’t mind either. He wondered if Derek was thinking the same thing, considering a pack of an alpha and two betas was pretty pathetic.

He woke when Cora crawled into bed with them, and she fell asleep nestled between Derek and Boyd. Isaac took a moment to stroke her hair before letting his arm fall over her so his hand could rest on Boyd’s arm.

He slept peacefully for the first night in weeks, and when he finally woke it was just him and Derek.

“I was wondering how long you were going to sleep for. It’s time to get up,” Derek told him, patting Isaac lightly on the back. “Boyd already left for school.”

“Oh shit,” Isaac said, rushing to get up before Derek grabbed his arm.

“Stay here today,” Derek offered quietly, rubbing Isaac’s arm with his thumb. “I want to keep an eye on you.”

“No, it’s okay. Besides, you have your hands busy with Cora,” Isaac said, and Derek let his arm slip away.

“Isaac,” Derek said as the beta stopped in the doorway. “I want you to be careful. Things are going to start changing soon. I can’t let them get away with this.”

Isaac listened quietly, then nodded over his shoulder before rushing out. He didn’t want to think about what Derek would do, and a part of him felt like Derek and Scott were both leaving him out of something.

He was late to school, already having missed homeroom and most of first period, so he started at second period, eager to see how the rest of the day would play out. Both Scott and Melissa insisted that he stay home for a few days, and Isaac was convinced that, if not for the fact that she wasn’t his guardian, that Melissa would have kept him home for at least a week. He couldn’t afford to let his grades slip, not if he wanted to stay on the lacrosse team, and once he explained that to Melissa she finally let him go.

By now he wasn’t in any pain, not any that would hinder him, at least. Sitting in class was uncomfortable because the chairs were cold and he felt lonely, but that was it. He listened to lectures, casually took notes, and went about his day. When lunch came he sat with Boyd, and they ate in silence. It was pretty much like every other day he’d had since his life as a werewolf started. The monotony allowed him to forget, even if just for a few hours, and he was grateful for it.

Once the school day was over he waited for Scott by his motorcycle. When Scott finally emerged, instead of heading right to his bike he rushed over to another parked car. Seeing the smile that lit up Scott’s face was all Isaac needed to know whose car it was, and who was sitting in the drivers seat. He watched as Scott smiled and laughed a little before waving to the two girls inside it.

No, it wasn’t fair to call Allison and Lydia girls. They were women, and Isaac appreciated both of them for everything they had to offer.

He’d grown fond of Allison, despite everything that happened between them. She didn’t hold any grudges against him and even let her guard down enough around him to give him room to hurt her. If pushed, Isaac might admit he admired her, but he wasn’t sure if his affection could be called a crush or not. Frankly he didn’t want to go down that path, considering how hard he was struggling with understanding his feelings about Scott as well.

Isaac knew one thing for certain; after what happened with Ennis, he wasn’t sure if he could let anyone get that close to him for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Episodes 5 and 6 of Season 3 take place right after this chapter, so if you want to go watch them between this chapter and the next, I’d recommend it. :)


	6. The Difference Between You and Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isaac is forced to think about his relationship with Scott after his friend receives a difficult phone call. Beta'd by Rose.

Isaac came home late, his head hanging down as he walked the distance between the school and Scott’s house. He texted Scott to tell him he was going to be back late, but it wasn’t Scott who worried him. Melissa had become quite protective of Isaac since his incident, and she was quick to ask why he wasn’t back home at a certain time and made sure to give him a quick scolding if needed. He knew it came from a place of concern, and she made sure not to smother him, but it made Scott uncomfortable on occasion. Isaac would never say it, but he appreciated the attention, even if it was to express her disappointment in something. His father had only ever punished him for being home late or for messing up his classes, and the knowledge that Melissa would never raise a hand to him was refreshing. She rarely raised her voice to him either, even though he could tell she wanted to sometimes.

Of course he was still afraid, not so much for anger, but for disappointment. She’d gone out of her way to open her doors to him, and how had he repaid her?

Detention.

It made him blush, but he wasn’t ashamed of himself. Sarcasm was a great defense, and he was willing to pay the consequences if it meant keeping a bit of his pride intact.

As he walked up the block to Scott’s house he managed to pick up on the sound of his friend’s voice. He felt the corner of his lips pinch up as he tried to hone in on the specific words coming out of his mouth, even though he really didn’t have any interest in eavesdropping on the one person he trusted. The closer he got the easier it was for him to pick up Scott’s half of the conversation and he started wishing he hadn’t, especially when he heard Scott’s voice crack.

“Allison, I thought- no, no that’s not what I was going to say.”

“So this is really want you want? I just wanted to make sure. Did something happen?”

“No I get it. Allison, you don’t have to justify yourself to me.”

Isaac could hear Scott fight back a sob, so Isaac pulled his hood up to cover his head and walked past the house.

He busied himself with wandering in a few neighborhoods around the McCall house as he thought on what he’d heard. He knew that Scott and Allison officially broke up a while ago, but Isaac, along with almost everyone else, doubted they’d stay apart forever. They still cared about each other, still considered the other their friend, and Isaac was afraid of getting in between that. He’d only get hurt, no matter which side he was on.

On one hand was Allison. He tried hard to dislike her, which wasn’t very difficult in the beginning, but as more time went on the more he began to see her as a sister, maybe even a friend. He knew that his affections could easily be confused with amour, but the more he thought about it the more he realized that he didn’t want to date her, he just wanted to be around her, to protect her and be protected by her.

Then there was Scott. One of his only friends happened to be a young man at whose side Isaac felt more than comfortable. He was a gauge for Isaac’s moral compass, which even he would admit was a little screwed up. He didn’t see Scott like a brother, not in the slightest. Friend was the closest and safest word Isaac could find, and he wasn’t ready to think of Scott as anything but his friend, not yet. Maybe he thought of Scott as his alpha. That was safe, he decided as he turned down a street he knew well. Scott was his alpha. Well, technically Derek was his real alpha, but when he stopped to think about who he was most loyal to, it was Scott who came to mind.

Of course, he liked Derek. A lot. He wondered why it was easier for him to admit his attraction to Derek. There was the fact that Derek was his alpha and pack mate, and the fact that Derek seemed to show interest in men, even if it was casual and completely lacking any emotional attachment. It was confusing, and Isaac knew he wasn’t ready to face the big question.

Derek or Scott?

Just the idea of having to pick made his hair stand up on end. Rather than choose, Isaac took the turn that brought him to the McCall house once more. He tried to sneak in quietly, hands shoved deep into his pockets to make him seem as small as possible. Scott was still home, and it sounded like the phone call was over.

Isaac tried to busy himself with quietly taking his shoes off, but Scott was quick to notice his return. He expected to see Scott with puffy eyes and a strained smile, but his face was bright and open when he greeted Isaac from the bottom of the stairs.

“Hey, I was wondering when you’d come home,” he said cheerfully, walking over so he could pat Isaac lightly on the back.

It was a bit of a surprise. Isaac could have sworn Scott had been crying while he was on the phone with Allison. Maybe they worked things out? Besides, he reminded himself, Scott was a lot stronger than he was, and wasn’t as prone to tears as he was either. “I, uh, I went for a walk after they let me out.”

“Oh. Well come on, my mom has to work a double tonight so she won’t be home until tomorrow. We can bring her some dinner then come home and hang out for the night? You got any homework?”

Isaac was a little taken aback by the sudden and open friendliness. Scott did hide his sadness in strange ways sometimes, he figured, so maybe he was looking for a bit of a distraction. The idea that Scott wanted to hang out with him to forget his sadness made Isaac blush, but he didn’t comment on the realization. Instead he shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “Nah, I did it all when I was at school,” he said.

“Cool, we have the night off then.”

He watched as Scott ran a hand through his thick hair before going to the kitchen to hunt down a pick up menu from their kitchen drawers. Scott was such a good son, he thought idly, leaning in the kitchen doorway so he could watch his friend. With the house so quiet and still it was hard not to notice how Scott’s muscles moved as he pushed through piles of papers, how his large hands shuffled through glossy pamphlets, or how he’d crack a crooked grin whenever he was trying to focus on something.

“What do you think of Papa Giuseppe’s for dinner? We can split a calzone or something,” he said. It pulled Isaac away from his thoughts, so he missed half of what Scott said.

“Sure, whatever you want,” he said, trying to sound as normal as possible.

Scott raised one thick eyebrow and eyed Isaac, who shifted nervously under his gaze before looking away.

“Hey, is there something wrong Isaac?”

Isaac could feel his heart rate hasten suddenly, and blushed when he realized that Scott could probably hear it too. “I heard you and Allison arguing,” he said sheepishly, his eyes on the holes in his socks.

“Oh. Which part did you hear?” Scott asked, and Isaac could have sworn that he saw Scott’s face blush slightly.

“Just... uh, Allison said something and you told her that she didn’t have to explain herself or something,” he shrugged and continued. “I didn’t really want to stand around and listen to you two.”

Scott let out what looked like a sigh of relief and Isaac frowned.

“Allison called to tell me that we’re over. Like, forever.” Scott sighed and looked a little to the side. There was a small, sad smile on his face and Isaac had to fight to ignore it.

“I’m sorry,” Isaac said cautiously. He knew it was the phrase he was supposed to use, even though he didn’t really mean it.

“Don’t worry. It was more of an agreement than anything. She doesn’t want to stay here after she graduates and I don’t really blame her.”

“You could go with her.”

“But my pack is here,” Scott said, looking pointedly at Isaac.

“I figured you’d be more upset than you are.” The words were hard to force out as embarrassment flooded Isaac.

Scott shrugged and set down the menu on the counter before taking the few steps that separated him from Isaac. “I’ve started growing apart from her, so it’s probably for the best,” he offered quietly. Isaac reached out to pat Scott on the back, and was surprised when the shorter teen leaned into the touch. “I’m just confused.”

“Yeah?” Isaac asked, wondering if he should rest his hand on Scott’s shoulder or back. He settled for his shoulder and squeezed lightly down on it as he watched Scott’s face.

“I haven’t felt attracted to her recently.”

Isaac swallowed nervously, then jumped a little when Scott pressed a broad hand against his chest, pressing Isaac against the wall he’d been leaning on. He tried to form thoughts he could turn into words, but lost them all before they could reach his mouth. There wasn’t anything he wanted, nothing he could do or get that would help him make sense of what he was doing, so when Scott leaned forward and pulled Isaac down by his shirt for a kiss, Isaac froze.

Leave it to Scott to ease him from shock to comfort.

His thick lips were warm against Isaac’s own cool ones, and Isaac was confident enough to lean into the kiss as Scott’s mouth pouted against his. The kiss ended abruptly, and it took Isaac a long moment to realize he had ended it by pushing Scott away. For now, at least, his words didn’t stick in his throat.

“Allison deserves better,” he said quietly, hands clenching in Scott’s shirt. He wanted it. God, how he wanted it. All Scott had to do was pin his hands to the wall and demand another kiss and Isaac would be putty in his hands. When Scott didn’t fight, however, Isaac went on. “Allison deserves better than to just be an afterthought.” He swallowed, clearing out the proverbial cotton that had wedged in his throat, and side-stepped away from Scott. “I’m gonna stay with Derek tonight,” he said quietly, rushing out of Scott’s house, grabbing his shoes and backpack on the way out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for all of your support and kind words! I appreciate every one of you and hope this fic continues to satisfy you. The next chapter will contain bits of Derek/Isaac so you have been warned. Scisaac is still endgame, though :)
> 
> Next, I want to point out that the next chapter is the last I’m writing that relies on a previous episode of Teen Wolf, so this is the last time you’ll want to watch something before reading a chapter. That being said, please watch, rewatch, or refresh yourself on episode Seven of Season 3 titled “Currents,” before you read the next chapter.


	7. Baggage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Boyd's death, how do Isaac and Derek move on without him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First I want to apologize for the lateness of this chapter. These past few months have been very difficult for me as my wife has been struggling with illness and ended up in the hospital just a week before I moved to a different state for work. Next I want to thank Rose for being the most patient person ever and dealing with me being an absolute flake and being completely unreliable with everything. 
> 
> Thank you everyone for your patience. I didn’t know if I’d be able to continue writing but your comments and support have motivated me to finish this. I really love this story and I want to see it completed. 
> 
> Please make sure to refresh yourself on season 3a ep 7, which takes place before this chapter.
> 
> I’m also working on another smutty oneshot that takes place before my other fic Invite Me Down, so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks if you’re interested. 
> 
> This chapter is unbeta’d because I wanted to get it up quickly. This is also the last chapter told from Isaac's 3rd person POV. Writing Scott will be a challenge, but I'm excited to get into the rest of the story.

Nothing in the loft was safe from the smell of burned flesh and mildew. It clung to everything, from the table in the main room to the clothes Derek was sorting through. Everything the water touched had to go, along with all of Boyd’s belongings. They’d probably build a fire, burn his clothes, then bury the teen in an unmarked grave on the Hale family property. It was the best they could do, Isaac figured, and a small part of him hoped Derek planned on putting him to rest beside Erica. For now, however, there was nothing he could do.

It had been a long night. Long, quiet, and cold. Isaac sat where he’d been left, keeping watch by the front door, his eyes everywhere but the stain on the floor and the young woman who sobbed over the body that rested over it. Every now and then she would sniffle or Derek would toss something against the floor, and Isaac clung to those sounds as a reminder that he wasn’t alone.

Once the sun set, Cora stood and wiped her face with the back of her sleeve. “I need to get some air,” she said hoarsely, changing out of her blood-stained jacket before heading out.

Isaac sat for a long while after she left, before a sound from the other room reached his ears. It was soft, blending in with the low hum of the wind, but it was definitely there.

He stood, walking as quietly as he could to Derek’s room. He felt as though making noise would disturb the ghosts that filled the air, making him and Derek sick with grief. While losing both Erica and Boyd had been tragic, Isaac knew he would get over it. Death stuck to him like a disease, and losing his pack mates was like losing his family. Losing family was something Isaac was good at. For Derek, however, Isaac figured it was more like losing his children: after all, they were only teenagers.

He lingered in the doorway, watching as his alpha sorted through his few possessions, tossing out the ones that had been ruined from the intended flood. Derek’s shoulders trembled as he picked through clothes that were no longer wearable, pausing every now and then to gaze at something left behind by Erica or Boyd. This time he stopped and looked down at the book he held. It was soaked, the pages wrinkled between words that bled together. The cover was an unreadable, blistered mess, and Derek seemed more upset by that than anything.

“I never asked him.” Derek finally admitted, breaking the silence.

“Hm?”

“I never asked him what he did when he wasn’t with us. I don’t know what books he read or music he liked. I don’t even know his mother’s name.”

Isaac watched as Derek fingered the wet book before tossing it into the trash pile.

“You don’t know what my mother’s name was either,” Isaac told him, walking up behind Derek, whose hands shook as he tried to grab the next item in the pile. He reached out and took Derek’s hand in his before wrapping an arm around his alpha’s shoulders in what he thought was a pathetic attempt at comfort. “And I don’t know yours.”

“Talia. My mother’s name was Talia.”

Isaac let out a quiet sigh and nuzzled the back of Derek’s neck, his heart racing. Now it was just him and Derek. Peter and Cora were technically pack as well, but Isaac didn’t trust either of them like he did Erica and Boyd.

So, for him, Derek was it.

Isaac heard the sound again. It was more quiet than before, but much more distinct. It was low, soft, and sad. There was no anger in the whine that echoed in Derek’s chest, and in its place was the distinct sound of loneliness. His arm around Derek tightened, and Isaac took a moment to breathe in the musky, earthy scent of his alpha, letting it soothe him. While letting his guard down, the scent slowly set him on edge as it tapped into something deep in his head, something he kept buried beneath layers and walls he built for his own protection. He moved to pull away, to try and escape the feelings that rose up inside him, but a hand on his arm held him, keeping him from pulling away. “Don’t,” Derek requested weakly.

Isaac hesitantly relaxed against Derek’s back as his alpha took in a heavy breath. His hand was rough, calloused from what Isaac imagined were years upon years of barely scraping by. Barely surviving. He tried to put himself in Derek’s shoes, to imagine what he was thinking, but he couldn’t. Of course Derek felt guilt and grief, but what else?

He closed his eyes, telling himself that he didn’t care what Derek was thinking, because there was no way he could ever comfort him enough, his words would never be sweet enough, he’d never prove to Derek that they could work, whether as packmates or as friends. It was time he let that go.

The only person who thought Derek didn’t deserve a pack was Derek, and Isaac tried for two years to love his alpha like he’d loved his older brother, like he’d once loved his father.

Isaac stayed with Derek for the rest of the night as they gathered up what few items Boyd kept at the loft, along with the couple things of Erica’s the teen managed to get his hands on. Eventually exhaustion took over, and Isaac allowed himself a few hours of rest. When he woke, Derek and Cora were gone, along with Boyd.

***

Heading back to Scott’s was difficult, and Isaac wondered how many more times he would make the journey from Derek’s loft to the McCall house. It made him feel a strange sense of shame, like he was betraying one with the other. His responsibility to Derek as his alpha faded as his respect for Scott grew. Ultimately, Isaac knew his home, that where he belonged was at his alpha’s side.

But who was his alpha?

The question plagued him, staining every aspect of his life with a level of uncertainty that stemmed from not knowing where he belonged or who he belonged to. He’d gained and lost both families he’d ever had, and he didn’t know if he was ready to build and nourish a third family just to lose them as well.

He bitterly hoped that Scott would refuse to let him come back. Isaac had refused him, after all, even though every second with Scott gave Isaac peace and happiness, or at least the closest thing to peace Isaac had ever known. Why he denied the kiss was lost to him, and he didn’t know if he’d ever get the chance to do it again.

His legs felt heavy as he walked up Scott’s porch to the front door. The knock he gave was hesitant as he doubted his decision to return, wondering if he was even worth being allowed back in. Before he could make up his mind, Scott opened the door, bags under his large sleepless eyes.

“Hey,” Scott greeted Isaac roughly, leaning in the doorway.

Isaac pursed his lips slightly and looked down, feeling his cheeks flush. He dropped his torn bag at his feet and reached forward, grabbing Scott by the shoulders. Without giving his friend a chance to respond, Isaac kissed him, leaning down so Scott didn’t need to strain himself to match his height.

The satisfaction of the contact slowly hit him, but when he started to pull away, Scott grabbed his waist and pulled him close while he opened his mouth. Isaac kissed him with all he had, tasting and breathing Scott in as the hands on his waist slipped down to his hips. He knew Scott could hear how hard his heart was pounding because the sound of Scott’s shook him down to his bones, putting all his senses on edge.

Scott was pack. In that moment he knew, listening as the sound of their heartbeats synchronized and as Scott’s fingers teased the hem of his shirt. He felt as Scott moved back, pulling Isaac into the house and out of the doorway. The beta complied, clumsily following Scott inside while trying to keep their mouths together. Once inside, Isaac shut the door and Scott promptly pushed him against it, making the teens knees buckle beneath him. Isaac cupped the back of Scott’s neck with one hand to help keep himself up while Scott’s slipped under his shirt, fondling up and over his chest.

Isaac felt a small smile tug at his mouth and, emboldened by Scott’s confidence, he did the same, quickly moving his hands up the back of Scott’s shirt. His fingers met broad muscles, and he caressed and investigated them curiously, eager to feel more of what Scott’s body had to offer.


	8. A Simple Answer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First Chapter from Scott's POV. 
> 
> Scott and Isaac have their first romantic encounter since their last awkward kiss, then visit Alan Deaton in the hospital to talk about what to do with Deucalion.

The last time they kissed, Scott didn’t have much of a chance to appreciate the feeling of Isaac’s mouth on his. It was brief, powered by a desire Scott didn’t realize he had. Sometime, when he wasn’t looking, his obvious soft spot for Isaac formed and grew into an affection he found a little difficult to control. 

He pushed Isaac harder against the door, pinning his beta against it as his fingers groped his chest, reaching for his nipples. A moan from Isaac echoed in his mouth once Scott found one of the nubs and he teased it until he grew tired of having to work around the shirt. While stepping back to pull Isaac’s shirt off he paused to appreciate the state his friend was left in. The teen was pressed against the door, his face pink and beading with sweat, eyes glowing a submissive golden as he sat back, waiting patiently. Curls stuck to his forehead and Scott took a moment to brush them aside, then let his hand stroke down his smooth, angular cheek. He’d never really taken the time to admire the structure of Isaac’s face; high cheek bones, a strong jaw, and wide chin, which his fingers ended their journey on. He panted softly with a slightly open mouth, distracting Scott from his original goal as he licked his lips, then frowned a little and pulled his own shirt off. 

The golden eyes that stared back at him spoke volumes, and Scott saw what he usually saw in Isaac’s face; trust, love, admiration, but there was something different this time. The emotion filled his nose and lungs, it pricked his skin and heated his blood. It was loyalty, developed not from the bite, or from fear, but from that absolute trust and love Isaac seemed to pour onto him. 

He reveled in it, bathing his confidence in the sweaty teen before him who stared back with the eyes of a beta to his true alpha. The words seemed to fumble in Scott’s head. He didn’t want to see Isaac as his beta; he’d barely come to terms with his new alpha status. Isaac was his friend, but the other didn’t seem to care. Scott thought back to all the times Isaac fought for and obeyed him while blinded by emotion. So many people considered Isaac an apathetic wild card. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t reduce Isaac to such simple terms, not when he was standing before Scott, torso and chest exposed, standing inches above him with curls sticking out around his head. Here he was just a person, allowing himself to be vulnerable around someone who he considered to be stronger than himself. 

Then Scott thought of Ennis. He imagined the man’s rough fingers bruising Isaac’s skin, crushing what little confidence he had with shame and violence. Instinct slowly washed over him, and something he barely registered as possessiveness started to fill him. Isaac was his friend, and practically family. Isaac was stubborn and hot headed. He was quiet and sarcastic, and hid his feelings of fear with anger and pessimism. But most importantly, Isaac was his. 

He pulled off his own shirt in a rush, unaware of the tears his claws cut into the fabric. Then his hands were in Isaac’s hair, pulling him down for another heated kiss that made Isaac moan. Fingers on his belt pulled Scott back into the real world for a second while Isaac’s hands worked quickly to open it. Then Isaac moved and Scott felt his back push against the door, and he took a moment to see that, not only had their positions flipped, but Isaac was carefully lowering himself to his knees before him. His fingers in Isaac’s hair instinctively loosened when he looked up with mischief in his eyes. 

Scott swallowed, then licked his lips as he stared down at Isaac, who smirked up at him with a playful grin that Scott was all too familiar with. He leaned back against the door, breathing hard as Isaac opened the front of his jeans. At any other time, Isaac’s boldness might have worried him, made him concerned for his own safety and Isaac’s emotional well being, but now was different. Just the feel of Isaac’s hot breath on his stomach made him want to dig his nails into his beta, claiming him till every werewolf within a hundred miles could smell his presence on him. 

Despite his closed eyes, Scott could tell exactly what the boy at his feet was doing. Shaking fingers pushed down his boxers, making him shiver as the cold air hit his groin. The sensation was short lived as Isaac’s warm mouth covered him, and Scott moaned loudly, unashamed of letting Isaac know he was doing it right. His fingers dug into Isaac’s thick hair, but it didn’t seem to deter him. Instead, Isaac gripped Scott’s hips, sucking harder while pulling Scott deep into his mouth. 

“Isaac, you don’t have to-” he started to argue, then Isaac swallowed, pulling another loud moan from Scott before he could finish. 

He noticed one of Isaac’s hands pull away from his hips, then shivered as the long fingers wrapped around the base of his penis, squeezing and pumping it to fill the space his lips and tongue couldn’t reach. Scott didn’t mind, especially since it gave Isaac a chance to focus on letting his tongue do more work. 

The other hand pulled Scott’s pants down a little more and Isaac pressed in closer, moving so his knees were between Scott’s feet. He watched as Isaac reached down against his own lap, rubbing lazily at the bulge that tented his jeans. Were it not for the distance, then Scott would have gladly pushed his hands between those long legs. He wondered what kind of faces Isaac made in bed. Was he loud and needy, or shy and submissive? Just thinking about Isaac moaning and crying while clinging to his sheets made Scott thrust his hips forward, gagging the teen for a moment before he found his rhythm again. 

“Let me see,” Scott moaned, looking down at the hand Isaac ground his hips against. He didn’t question the order, and Scott watched as fingers opened his zipper, exposing the boxers that barely hid the outline of his erection. The fabric was pushed aside, and Isaac eagerly stroked himself while still sucking on Scott. The view made him wonder how much longer he’d be able to hold back, but the hand around his cock squeezed down, telling him he needed to wait. 

By then, Scott really wanted to touch Isaac; the separation made him a little nervous, like Isaac owed it to him to please him without taking into account that the desire was mutual. If Isaac’s mouth didn’t feel so good then he might have pushed him away so they could get closer, but as it was, it felt fantastic. His tongue knew all the places to stroke, and his lips caught the places that made him shiver. Even the occasional scrape of teeth was well placed, pulling Scott from orgasm each time he thought it was over. 

“Come on dude, let me cum,” he panted, stroking Isaac’s sweaty forehead with his thumb. Mischief-filled blue eyes batted up at him, and Scott braced himself for whatever Isaac had planned. Like he wanted, Isaac pulled the hand away from the base of his cock, and the boy pressed in, swallowing as much as Scott thought he could manage. The view of Isaac’s long nose pressed against his pubic hair was the last thing he saw before he closed his eyes and came, riding out the orgasm while rocking into Isaac’s mouth.

The coughing and gagging he expected to hear never happened, and he looked down to see Isaac licking his lips while pulling back. He managed to hold back for long enough to see Isaac look up at him with satisfaction before he fell to his knees. Both his hands pushed Isaac’s fingers away from himself, and he took up their job of stroking him. Isaac moaned, resting his head on Scott’s shoulder as Scott focused on making him feel good. He took the opportunity to breathe in the specific smell that wafted off Isaac, his specific fragrant lust, so he could recognize it the next time it reached his nose. Somehow he’d always expected Isaac to smell spicy and rich, instead what filled him was cool, sharp, and earthy. It made him a little nostalgic, reminding him of a run through rainy woods; it made him feel like an alpha. 

“Scott,” Isaac panted into his ear, reminding Scott of the task at hand, and he focused on rubbing the head with his thumb while the other hand tugged at the hard shaft inside his fingers. “Fuck, Scott.” Pressure from Isaac’s fingers bruised his back as Isaac clung to him as his pleasure piqued.

Scott used his thumb to catch some of the orgasm while Isaac bit onto his shoulder, and the smell was intoxicating when combined with the sound of Isaac moaning and whimpering against his shirt. He listened as Isaac’s breathing slowly evened out, then leaned back when Isaac lifted his head so he could kiss his salty lips. 

“Welcome home,” he whispered after they parted, and smiled when Isaac blushed and grinned subtly. “Don’t ever leave again.” 

Isaac nodded and licked his lips, reminding Scott of what they’d done just minutes prior. He wondered if he’d be able to look at Isaac’s mouth the same after that, then decided he had many more chanced to figure out what his lanky friend was capable of. 

“Wanna go shower, then I’ll make some breakfast?” Considering what happened the night before, Scott didn’t blame Isaac for not taking the time to wash the smell of blood and burnt flesh off himself. He also knew that grooming helped animals bond, so he couldn’t help but wonder if it carried over to werewolves. 

He waited for an approving nod before standing, then reached down to help Isaac up. It still amazed him that Isaac was so willing to do that for him, considering they’d only kissed the two times, but he didn’t question it. Worrying about Isaac’s intentions and wishes were saved for another time, when they weren’t dripping with hormones. Then, Scott decided, they could decide what they were. Dating Allison was complicated, as their official status changed often depending on what they needed to lie about. This time, Scott thought, he needed to call Isaac his boyfriend if things continued this way. The other option was “beta” and the thought made him feel a little sick, as if he only saw Isaac as a means to an end. 

When they reached the bathroom Scott allowed himself a long look at Isaac’s lean body, then blushed and smiled when Isaac noticed his gaze. 

“Are we showering together?” Isaac asked, and Scott watched as he leaned over to turn on the hot water. 

“Yeah, I guess, if you want to,” Scott agreed, feeling a little embarrassed at the eagerness with which he answered. They’d showered around each other after practice, so it wasn’t as if it was the first time he saw Isaac naked, but that wasn’t what excited him. This time he’d have a chance to look at him fully without shame or sneaking awkward glances. He wondered if Isaac felt the same way, then stopped when the teen wiggled out of his jeans and looked Scott over. 

“Come on,” he urged, and Scott hurried out of the last of his clothing. 

They kissed under the hot spray of water, then took turns washing each other’s bodies and hair. Scott wondered what scars Isaac carried before he was a werewolf, what marks his father left on him before his death. In many ways he was glad that Isaac was bitten, but in others he was less grateful. Isaac managed to escape his father, only to end up on the violent end of a pack war. He made many new friends, most of whom were now dead. It was definitely a mixed bag, and Scott couldn’t help but feel responsible for his safety now. 

He took extra time to scrub Isaac’s back, massaging it to help ease the tension that caught between his shoulders. He felt as Isaac relaxed into his hands, shoulders slumping while he leaned back. It made him feel better about their situation, even if it was just for now. 

***

Every now and then Scott felt Isaac’s fingers twitch against his stomach, especially when he took particularly tight turns. Riding his bike with Isaac was different now, it was more intimate, more sensual than it was before. Scott wanted to enjoy it, but part of him warned that one day, Isaac might take advantage of the situation and create a little mischief as he was prone to do. This ride had a slightly serious purpose, however, so Isaac stayed what Scott considered relatively well behaved. His comparison was to Stiles, though, so he couldn’t help but doubt whether or not that definition of “well behaved” was reliable. 

The drive to the hospital was one Scott knew by heart, and the trip there felt even shorter with Isaac pressed against his back. He even felt a twinge of disappointment when Isaac swung his leg off the side and easily stepped to the ground. The visit was double duty for them; bring his mother dinner and visit Alan Deaton. 

They walked side by side, knuckles brushing every now and then. Scott wondered what Isaac wanted, debating on whether or not holding hands was an option yet, but he wanted it to be. It was one of many things they needed to talk about, and soon. With Allison, in the beginning, Scott loved being openly affectionate with her. It made him feel comfortable and loved, and she seemed to enjoy it while it lasted. Isaac was different though. He seemed to like contact when it was on his own terms, and avoided the touch of others when he was stressed or upset. If Isaac wanted, Scott thought, maybe it was something they could work on together with slow, baby steps. 

At least, Scott thought, he wanted to hold Isaac’s hand. 

Melissa met them at her nurse’s station and greeted both of them with a hug and kiss on the head, and Scott couldn’t help but smile at the way Isaac dipped his head down so his mother could reach. “Thank you boys,” she said as she took the food Isaac carried in. 

His mother didn’t have much of a chance to spend a lot of time with Allison, though she probably felt like she knew her well just from how often he spoke of his ex. This was different. She had grown very protective Isaac, and it warmed Scott to know that was a conflict he didn’t need to soothe. Isaac seemed to have some inherent respect for her, and she responded to that with love. 

“So, what room is he in?” Scott asked. 

Melissa looked at him with pursed lips, then walked around the station to check her computer. “He’s in 205 in wing 1. He was awake the last time I checked on him, but if he’s not then come let me know. Don’t wake him up.”

Scott nodded, then looked at Isaac, who glanced between the two before nodding as well. The trip down the halls of the hospital was quiet. Anxiety over his boss’ well-being picked at his nerves, both because Alan was more like a father than a boss, and because Scott didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to run the vet’s office alone. 

“Should I wait outside?” Isaac asked once they reached room 205, and Scott shook his head while placing a hand on Isaac’s shoulder. “I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you.” 

Carefully, Scott opened the door, trying to keep quiet in case the injured man was sleeping. When he was met with an awake and lucid Deaton, however, his anxieties melted. 

“Welcome, Scott, Isaac,” Alan greeted, and Scott had to fight not to hug him tightly, especially since his shoulders were braced. Instead he patted Alan’s knee lightly before sitting down in one of the chairs by the bed. Isaac stood behind him. 

“How are you feeling?” The question felt obvious to Scott, but it was an important one. He didn’t want to bother Alan with his troubles if the man was in too much pain or discomfort even though he knew it wouldn’t bother him.

“I’m well. Your mother stops in often to see how I’m faring. It must be a family trait,” Alan answered, an appreciative grin crinkling the skin around his eyes. 

Scott smiled, feeling his cheeks heat up at the compliment, and he looked away for a moment to regain his composure. “ I wanted to ask you about Deucalion.” 

He didn’t watch to see Alan’s smile fade, but when he looked back it was gone, and the man’s face was it’s typical somber and serious expression. “Like I told you, Deucalion isn’t only after Derek.”

“Me.” One of Isaac’s hands moved to his shoulder, squeezing it lightly. 

Alan nodded. “What happened with you is rare, but Deucalion knew before any of us. He knows how to find alphas, so he came back to Beacon Hills to acquire you. Especially now that Ennis is gone too.”

Scott sat quietly for a moment while he thought, then looked up at his boss. “When we fought against Deucalion, he told Derek to kill Boyd. Two days ago they made him kill Boyd.”

Alan nodded quietly, and Scott watched as his eyes slowly moved up to Isaac. “He’ll make you kill your pack as well.” 

His heart skipped a beat and he reached up to cover the hand on his shoulder. “No one is going to hurt him.”

Alan’s face softened, eyes still on Isaac. “They already have, haven’t they?”

Scott looked back to see Isaac give a small, silent nod. 

“You’ll need to be careful Scott. He’ll take his time with you. Deucalion is old and patient. He knows not to rush with you like Peter did. He will wait until the perfect opportunity and will only strike when he knows there’s nothing you can do to stop him.” He leaned back wincing slightly while trying to get comfortable. “Keep each other safe. All of you.” 

“We will,” Isaac answered, his voice firm and unwavering. 

“Definitely,” Scott agreed, standing.

“Oh, and one more thing,” Alan said before Isaac opened the door. “Make sure to tell your mother about you two.”

“What do you mean?” Isaac asked, and Alan stared flatly at them in response. 

“I know you’re not just his beta, Mr. Lahey.”

Scott smiled and quickly looked at Isaac, just barely catching the redness in his ears before Isaac hurried out of the room. After a quick wave goodbye he jogged to catch up to Isaac. 

“That was smooth.” 

“Shut up,” Isaac said bashfully, hiding his blush and smile while pretending to fix his hair. 

They would have to tell her sooner or later, Scott thought. It might save them some embarrassing questions and walk-ins later on, he reasoned. 

“Tomorrow,” Isaac said quietly. 

“What?” Scott asked, looking over to watch Isaac’s face. 

“We should tell her tomorrow.” 

When Isaac returned his gaze Scott felt a sense of elation rise up his chest. “What do you want me to tell her?”

“That you have a live-in boyfriend now,” Isaac answered while giving Scott a cocky grin. 

“I guess I do, huh,” Scott agreed, relieved that Isaac wanted the same thing. 

Now they just had to wait for tomorrow, and hope that nothing would go wrong before then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for your support. Things have been chaotic recently, and I might have to move in a few days for a job, which is exciting because I'll be living with my wife again, but scary because I'll have to leave my current job. 
> 
> Anyway, this chapter was both fun and difficult to write. It's hard to go from smut to serious but I enjoyed the challenge. It forced me to take a look at my plans for the rest of the story so it was worth it. 
> 
> You all are awesome and patient and I wouldn't be able to keep up with this if not for your support so thank you.


End file.
